Paris Pop Culture

 Not unfamiliar to my travels and curiosities is the subject of Pop Culture. I’ve blogged about it before, in an LA transplant to NYC Pop-Up Gallery 1988.  You may remember my Brooklyn photo walk, “The Future Perfect” in which I project a narrative to street art in Brooklyn one lovely Spring day. Why should Paris be any less playful of a setting? If you’ve seen “Exit Through the Gift Shop” than you may already be familiar with the iconic street art while trolling through the Latin Quarter near my hotel this summer in Paris.

 

As a child of the 80’s who never actually trapped the turtle , many of my peers had. We called it the “Spit Flower” that gave Mario the power to advance to level 3 -1 by throwing fire balls. My favorite was the Power Star, that allowed you to just plow through the bad guys to the win. I had no patience to trap that damned turtle and win the game.  Sighted in the documentary “Exit Through the Gift Shop” , you’ll find a nostalgic array of video game memorabilia in the tile form of street art as you troll through Paris. “Invader” is the pseudonym for the man who pastes these in cities all over the world.

  Mega Man, He’s popular in Japan, and he’s got an  “Invader” emblem on his chest.

Remember Q*bert? I’m pretty sure that game was either rigged or glitchy. I loved to watch it being played but felt like a  fool trying to make it work. The TV image under him is exactly what we use to play on.

I’m not sure who the penguin is but he’s so cute.

…And hey, Star Wars!

Thanks Invader, that was fun!

What really tickles me is when I see a quirky Mashup. This one of a (generally obscure in the US) Japanese Anime character Grendizer from Mazinger Z mashed up with not so obscure Louis Vuitton logos, which spells AWESOME!

Cross culture mixing is what travel is all about. Meeting new people, finding new ideas and having creative adventures in the process. As Diana Vreeland said, “The Eye Has to Travel”.